Page 22 of Hockey Player Seeking Fan

"Yeah. I think you'll find it very hard to meet a guy who even has 10 percent of what you're looking for."

"Oh, you're on," she says, holding her hand out. "Definitely. You're on. Just because you're not a guy that knows how to treat a woman well, doesn't mean that there aren't guys out there that would."

I grab her hand, and we both feel heat running back and forth between us. She pulls it back slightly, and I see her lips trembling.

"You don't know what sort of man I am, Erica. Maybe I am a very?—"

She cuts me off and starts laughing. "I know exactly what sort of man you are. Tyler Kane, hockey player. Don't think I haven't seen you in the tabloids or heard about the parties that you and my brothers frequent.”

She just stares at me and shakes her head. "I'm going to win. But what I want to know is what I'm going to win."

"What do you want to win?"

"I don't know. What doyouwant to win?" she asks me.

"Let's think about it," I say, smirking. I know exactly what I want to win, but I'm not going to tell her just yet because I don't want her backing out of the bet we've made. In fact, I'm quite excited about the possibility of getting to know her better and going along this journey with her.

"So it's a deal, and we'll figure out the prize at the end?" she asks.

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan to me."

I stare at her for a few moments and then, because I can't help myself, I say softly, "Even though I want to win, I do hope you find what you're looking for, Erica. A woman as beautiful as you deserves to find true love."

She blinks for a few seconds and shakes her head. "I don't even know what to say to that, but thank you."

"That's all you need to say. I mean, it's not like I'm going to ask you to drop under the table and give me a blowy or anything."

"Really, Tyler?" She glares at me. "Was that really?—"

I start laughing. "I'm sorry. That was a low blow, and I would never normally say that. But I know that Elliott was a jackass, and I just wanted to remind you that I think there are more men out there like him than aren’t."

"We'll see," she says, shrugging. "But I surely hope that you're not correct."

Chapter Seven

Erica

"Erica, what the hell? So now you guys have a bet?" Sabrina looks at me, and I can tell she wants to say something else, but instead, she's silent. I’ve just spent the last twenty minutes filling her in on everything, and I know she thinks I’m crazy. Which I likely am.

"Yeah, it's a bet... kind of. I mean, there's no actual prize. It's not like he's going to give me a million dollars if I win or anything," I say jokingly, even though I'm not quite sure I find the situation as humorous as I'm making out.

"So let me get this right. He thinks that you have your head in the clouds, and you think that he's a jaded asshole."

"That's about it," I say, nodding. “I mean, he may be right, but I still think my way of thinking is best for humanity.”

"And how does this work, exactly?"

"Well..." I shrug. "I guess I'm going to go on dates and see if I meet anyone who seems like they could possibly fit the standard I have for a relationship. And if I meet someone who's close enough, I win. And if I don't, he wins."

"But couldn't you just say that you've met someone and then you still win?"

"I mean, I could, but I have morals, and I'm not going to lie."

"Okay, so that's cool. How often are you guys going to update each other?"

"I don't know. I mean, it's not like we exchanged numbers or anything."

"Oh, he didn't ask you for your number when he walked you home?"